Silver Legends -2

Days of Yore.

'I remeber it now… as if it had happened yesterday...' Anya tought as some healers carried her to a medic room, her eyelids were heavy on exhaustion as she saw with a few tears on her eyes as another group was carrying away a man with a mane of dark golden hair.
'Hang on miss!' whispred another woman as she rised her hand toward him, before the wounds she had started to weaken her body.
'...Pu...nk...' she whispered before her eyes closed entirely.

*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

3 Years earlier...

'Miss Silverstorm!, you're late for your class!' yelled an older woman in a hall of a vast residence. It had a great decoriation of large golden chandeliers as the walls were entire covered with family portraits describing the honorable and properous line of the Silverstorm family from ages past. The woman had a long mane of icy blue hair with narrow and sharp amber eyes, like the ones on a hawk as her clothing was exquisite and made of the finest fabric available on the galaxy.
'I won't accept this kind of behavior young miss!' snarled the woman starting to climb the long staircase to the upper floor, rising up her skirt and grabbing the wooden handheld.

'Mhmmph...10 more minutes... Nana.' monaed Anya on still on her comfortable bed. The sun already had entered the room sneaking over the closed courtains warming up it a little bit, but the girl merely rolled over her sheets and curled up as a frost cat. The door of her room burst open as her Nana was glaring her with her amber eyes sparkling. Nana walked up to the bed's head.
'Miss Silverstorm!, I don't see the need to do this EVERY... SINGLE... MORNING!' she said poking Anya's  belly with a fan she was holding up her sleeve.
'Cut it out!' Anya responded turning over, but she got entangled on her sheets causing her to struggle a little with them and fell over the edge on the other side of the bed. Walking majestouslly arround the bed, Nana opened side to side the courtains as Anya covered her face from the full sun light.

'It's a fine day on our Majestic city and I'm not letting you to waste it on your bed, Miss Silverstorm!' she said  looking over the landscape: a magnificent city among the clouds, with its buildings made of a mixture of a blue crystal and white stone seemed to form a sparkle field with several vegetation stains of the size of several blocks. The sky was a prefect sapphire blue as several snowy tiny birds flew over the garden, as large as a park.
'OK Nana... you win' replied Anya frowning and taking her pajama over her head and getting ready to take a bath.
'But Miss, are you certain about your... choice?' asked Nana rubbing her back as Anya was half sunken on a warm water tube.
'And you complain about me over doing the same things every day Nana?' replied Anya looking over her shoulder as she had begun to scrub her hair. 'I don't want to be a trophy wife... I want to be.. like Mistress Cassaya!, a great leader, a fine diplomat and and an excellent warrior!' she said before washing the foam away.
'Speaking of it... Madame Cassaya indeed was born with the natural talent for it... but you miss, don't have anything to do with these brutes of her Ranger's Guard, I don't see how becoming a grunt would help you on your aspirations' replied Nana taking a towel and covering the girl once she had left the tube.
'One step at the time Nana, even she begun as a simple apprentice just like I am now. And you know our motto on the Academy...' replied Anya with a smile.
'Strenght, Will and Heart will lead you to your goals... ' replied a bit bored Nana as Anya was now wearing her navy blue clothes.

'But what about the stories I've heard?... boys having brutal behavior on thet place!; If you want to be a great diplomat you sure would be better on home... with a particular tutor?; all I need to do is make a call and you'll be out of that dreadful place on less than a second and be on the safety of your home preparing to achieve your future' Nana said as Anya was brusing and drying her hair.
'Not listening...' replied humming Anya as Nana sighted and took a picture from her dressing table.
'I admit that there are some nice people among the grunts... but I must insist, that's not your world and you'll never be accepted in there!'. Said Nana taking the frame for her hands and looking to the picture.
'Stop calling my  friends like that!' she relied taking the portrait from the old woman hands. It described a group of 6 people, 4 males and 2 girls, being her the fifth one to the right as her hands covered the slender boy on the extreme left.
'Well, some of them might lack the propper education...' she said looking to the fat boy next to her left displaying the victory sign, but there are some good guys in there too...' she finished smiling and removing her hand from the covered boy.

'Miss.. is there anything special you want to talk with me?' asked Nana narrowing her eyes and looking at her child blush vivdly.
'Eeeeeh?... no!... nothing Nana!, what makes you think I'm keeping a secret from you?, you've rasied me since I was just a little baby, it would be stupid to try to hide something important from you, because you would inmediately notice that I'm hiding something, and if I'm hiding something from you then that'll make me a bad girl and we all know I'm not a bad girl, because you've rasied me to be a fine miss and that is what I am,  a fine miss with no secrets at all!' Anya blabbered as fast as she could speak, she finished crossing her arms and nodding seriouslly as sweat ran all over her neck.
'She has a secret...' tought Nana looking at her beloved child as she placed a jade scarf over the clothes.

*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

She could hear a soft breathing next to her, heavily she managed to open her eyes. As she turned her head she found Nana sitting on a cushion chair next to the door. She always have been like that, every time she had fell ill, Nana had been there looking over her and this time was no difference... no difference at all.  Anya smiled a little as she turned her eyes to the night table, where a frame and a necklace with a blue diamond were set up. The six persons on the frame smiled at her trough the nightlights as a few tears began to run from her eyes.

*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

'You're late Miss Silverstorm!' yelled Nana 30 minutes later as she pushed Anya trought the hall while the girl was biting a fruit.
'But you know I never leave home without a breakfast!' she replied removing the fruit from her mouth as another servant handed her over a backpack with several items on it.
'Just go now!, you're too late!' replied Nana getting her out.
'Oh Nana, you worry a lot' said Anya turning to walk over the white rock paved road that led outside her home to the street. Indeed it was a good day with the sun shining over the treetops and she enjoyed the sound of the chirping birds.
'Hi, brat!, you're late!' greeted a boy hanging upside down, holding himself to a branch using his legs.
'Aaaaah!' yelled Anya smacking the boy, forcing him to fell to the floor with a loud thud. 'Ah!, Angel!' she yelled kneeling to help the boy who was knocked down with swirly eyes on the floor. 'Are you OK?!' she yelled rising him up, 'You scared me!'
'Silverstorm... there are better ways to greet someone...' said another boy appearing from behind another tree, he was smaller than her and had a rather pale face, but that made him look good with his gray eyes and his frazzled red hair.
'Archie!, you're here too!' she said as Angel began to moan and blink confused.
'We've been expecting you for almost 20 minutes... and you know how this idiot is... he can't wait a minute more than neccesary.' replied the readheaded boy  as he drew closer to Anya and Angel.
'Are you ok?' she asked worried lying carefuly his head on her lap.
'Wow, that was one of your best hooks, brat!' he replied smiling at her.
'Fine, you're OK, punk!' she replied a bit annoyed pushing Angel again to the floor.

'If the lovebirds have finished playing fools themselves, we have a meeting to attend and we're late for 20 or even more minutes...' said the boy named Archie turning his back to them, Anya walked passing him rising up her nose in dignity as Angel still was lying on the floor rubbing his head.
'Sure this one hurted a lot!' he said rising up as Archie was looking at Anya among the pine tree shades.
'She's something special... and crazy about you why don't you do something, you idiot?' he asked rising up and eyebrow as Angel gathered up his stuff.
'We're late Archimedes, you know how's out mentor about delays...' replied Angel not looking at his best friend and dashing trough the trees, Archimedes merely shaked his head in disbelief as he followed his friend.

*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

'Silverstorm, Kingsea and Tinfeather... you're among the top students in our great Academy, and as such you must be an example to less gifted students!' said a man walking in front of them as the three kids were with their heads low in shame and looking to their feet; 'But instead of that, you're among the top troublemakers and rule breaking students I've ever had the drisgrace to met... what would your mother think about her son's behavior?' asked the man stoping in front of Angel, the man was nearly seven feet tall, wearing an impressive set of clothes of higher rank and a rapier on his belt  as the boy merely asked rising up a little his sight.
'Get off your bed a litttle bit earlier?' he asked with a faint smile, Anya chuckled a little as well some of the other students.  
'I'll deal with you later, Kingsea...' said the man turning now to Archimedes
'Can we lunch together? ' asked Anya moving only her lips
'Yes, whatever you want' replied Angel silently as the mentor was talking with the little boy putting his face so close of his that Archimedes could notice the little scars on his mentor's cheeks.

'As a punishment to you three, you'll have to run 10 miles... NOW!' Yelled at them the man sprinkling the males that looked shocked and ran as fast as they could, followed closely by the girl. As they passed on the rest of their mates, a tall stouty boy steped on Anya's feet, tripping her and making her fall.
'Are you OK?' asked Angel turning arround to see her rising up and dusting off her clothes.
'I'm fine... I just tripped...' she replied not looking to her left.
'Joseph...' mumbled Angel as the tall boy stared at him defiantly.
'Such a klutz has no place here', Jospeh spoke with a soft and poisoned voice to his followers who merely chuckled. Angel only looked at them with disdain and shaking his head resumed his race.

'You'll have to face him one day' said Angel to Anya after 5 miles of running on silence.
'But... you know I'm not really on this fighthing stuff, I'm just in here because the academy has the best negotiators...' she replied a bit ashamed.
'Well, you know?... part of negotiating is to face unfriendly people... not everyone is willing to have a good chat since the beggining' said Archimedes behind them.
'I know... is that... Jospeh scares me...' she admited a bit ashamed.
'Dude, he scares me the hell out my guts too!' replied Archimedes with his grey eyes wide open, 'Look at the guy!... he's a monster!... he's as tall as the mentor and almost as buffed at him!... and he's only 15!' added Archimedes stopping to get some breath.
'I don't know... perhaps Nana has been right all this time only you guys and the others are my friends...' said Anya a bit sad as she turned to look Angel who had kept running ahead of them.

*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

She had been in the room for two days now, pretending to be asleep, so she could hear the doctors conversations with her parents and Nana with ease, avoiding the soft tones and facing the crude facts they would hide to her... but she already knew that her hours were counted up. The injuries were too deep to handle as even the simple effort of breathing caused her a lot of pain, but that pain was nothing compared to the idea that she might leave this world.... without seeing him one last time.

*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

'You look terrible...' said a brunette girl with long green hair and a large yellow ribbon holding it as a ponytail as both girls were sitting beneath a tree on the Academy grounds.
'Sasha, I think I'm not fitting in here...' said Anya sadly looking to her friend's eyes.
'I know it's hard to be in here darling, but you need to find the propper motivation... I can tell you're barely the same that got here years ago' replied her friend taking her hand.
'Thanks sweetie... but there's something else...' added Anya with a sight.
'It's about Kingsea, right?'asked Sasha slyly.
'Wha... how in the name of Glacia did you knew?!' asked back Anya with a suddenly blushed face.
'Girl, your eyes scream I want that boy badly as hard as our mentor screams you lot every morning each time you lay your eyes on him' replied Sasha smiling.
'Really?, oh my...' replied Anya a bit ashamed looking away from Sasha.
'It's something normal girl, after all you two have been friends since you were just a little couple of nippers... and to be honest, we all have been wondering who would be the one to ask the other out first' said Sasha looking to Anya's amazed eyes.
'And... Martin has told you something about him?, Archimedes has tried to pull an answer out of him, but Angel doesn't say a thing...' said Anya looking at her friend.
'Well, based on what Martin has managed to get from him were two free meals and some few bruises, because Angel asked him to practice their swordplay... I tell you that Kingsea man isn't an easy task' replied Sasha biting a snack.

'Oh, Sasha!... what am I going to do?; I... at first felt confused... but then spoke to Uncle Santiago and...' said Anya looking to the treetops, Sasha coughed and almost choked with her food wich spited on the grass.
'YOU SPOKE WITH WHO?!' asked Sasha with her eyes wide open in disbelief of what she had heard.
'Uncle Santiago... he gives me good advice...' replied Anya a bit stranged as Sasha's face was now purple of anger.
'BUT THAT'S HIS UNCLE YOU SILLY!' shouted Sasha, as several other students were now looking at them.
'Well, he's kind and cares about him... I tought  that... he would help me a bit too... after all he's fond of us... and he always said that if we had a problem we shouldn't hesitiate and go ask him'replied Anya as the other students walked away from them.
'Girl, the man said that if we've had problems with our lessons, needed to lend a gym or helping us  to get a special permission for a practice... not sentimental problems!' said Sasha a bit hysterical.
'But I tought...' replied Anya shyly.
'Anyway, what did the old man told you girl?' asked Sasha taking a sip of water.
'He said that I should give Angel time, boys are a bit more oblivious when it come to these things' replied Anya biting her snack.
'I must admit... the old man knows how to choose his words' replied Sasha putting down her water bottle.

'Hmph... where are these men anyway?, they should have been here a while ago!' said Sasha rising up and looking arround, for there was no signal of their friends on the vicinty.
'They might had something else to do...' observed Anya a bit sad looking at her hands, she was a little dissaponted because he had accepted to have lunch with her and he had not come to be with her.
'Aren't those some of Joseph's cronies?' asked Sasha stranged as she saw three boys running on the gardens.
'Oh no!' cried Anya rising up as the boys had turned arround the corner of a nearby building.

*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

'Nana...' she finally spoke after three days of getting in the healing facilities; she had heard the forecast of the healers: she wouldn't pass this night, her time was running up and she had not seen him not even once.
'Yes, Anya dear?' asked back the old woman with tears on her eyes taking her hand,
'How... how is he...?, how's... Uncle...?' she asked looking to those amber eyes dropping some tears, Nana looked away from the hazel eyes as she spoke bitterly:
'Captain Santiago... is...is...' sobbed Nana.
'I see...' said simply Anya looking to her mother that was crying  before leaving the room carried by her dad.
'And Angel... what about him?' she asked softly as Nana began to cry silently holding her hand.

*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

Angel landed on his back punched by another boy, while Joseph was looking amused at the fight, altough Angel was a bit on the short side he had managed to get some good blows at two of Joseph's cronies, before being suprised by a third one.
'You've had enough Kingsea?, or I'll have to teach you to respect your superiors?' said Joseph behind his cronie.
'You idiot!, you should be fighthing by yourself not relying on some mindless drones' replied Angel whiping some blood of his mouth, neither Archimedes or Martin had dared to make a move since they were surrounded by a far large crowd made entirely of Josephs followers, besides of the fact that Archie and Martin were even smaller than Angel.
'Well, at least my drones can do more than your nerds!' mocked Joseph as other two boys rounded up Martin and Archie.
'Leave them out of this, this is between you and me for what happened earlier!' yelled Angel rising up.
'Ah, is that because of your little girlfriend?' asked back Jospeh with a most unpleasant smirk on his face; as he added with a boring tone looking to his fingernails 'I must say that you'll have to be completely insane to date such hideous girl'.
Two punches rised from Angel's arms and his opponent was lying flat on the floor as he charged towards Jospeh that was astonished of having his best man down after two blows.
'ANGEL ENOUGH!' yelled Anya from behind the other boys who opened a gap as Martin and Archie ran behind the girls.
'Saved by the belle...' whispered Angel to Jospeh as he had stopped his fist two inches away from his nose.
'Get away you smelly punk!' yelled Sasha kicking away one boy as Anya looked towards Angel and Joseph.
'Look what we have here?, but if it isn't sweet Lady Wanaabe rescuing a mediocre parody of a Ranger.' Mocked Joseph as Angel merely clenched his fist once again.

'Let's get out of this... you don't need this' said Angel walking towards the girls and his friends, taking Anya's arm, but she released from his grip, then she walked towards Joseph and before anyone knew what was happening slaped him on the face. Everyone was gasping on surprise as Martin fainted on shock,
'Joseph, you'll better have to leave us alone if you know what's good for you or you'll see what a bunch of girls and nerds can do to a pride of rubbish monkeys like you and your so called friends' Anya said looking to Joseph's eyes, but there were no trace of fear or doubt, but a flame of decision and courage.
'Prove me....Lady Wannabe' replied Joseph placing his face inches away from her's as he added on a roar 'BOYS!'.

'Joseph... I'm not hitting a girl...' said a boy on the group.
'Yeah... it would be like hitting my mom...' seconded another one.
'Scared I might rip your guts crybabies?' yelled Sasha taunting them and punching her hands.
'You're not helping!' said Archimedes as Angel prepared for another round.
'What are you talking about you idiots?, if she's here she's willing to take her chances... it doesn't matter if she's nobility born, she's just like one of us in this place!.' Said Joseph to his minions. Some of them leaved the place as others were still thinking to do something as Anya walked behind him.
'Joseph, I can propose you something, you're right about all of us being the same in here... but you don't have to go picking on people just because they're different' she said with a calm voice, Joseph merely looked her down.
She added 'Let's keep it calm in this place... but during excecises you can go all out with our fellows'.
'What?' asked stranged Jospeh.
'That woman is insane!' said Sasha as Archimedes was now chewing his nails and Angel actually smiled at her.
'That way you can discharge all your rivalarity with ourselves, and the best part for you, is that if you beat us in a class, you'll have a recognition instead of a detention' she finished rising up a hand.

Joseph merely looked at her rising up an eyebrow trying to find a trap on her words, but her sincere smile and open eyes, made him shook her hand.
'You know your game... Silverstorm, maybe you're not so dumb after all' he said with a friendly smirk as he passed on the other 4 friends.
'Boy, sure he's scary!' said Archie once Joseph and his men left.
'He can consider himself lucky that I didn't lied a finger on him, he would have been sent to a whole new dimension of pain!' added Sasha as Martin regained conscioussness.
'Nice one, brat!' said Angel turning to see Anya that breathed deeply placing her hand on her chest.
'You're welcome punk' she replied looking at him: he had some parts of his clothes ripped and some blood stains all over his face and shirt as his coat was lying on the floor.
'Now we all have to improve and not letting those monsters beat us, right guys!' he said turning to see their other friends who noded on approval.

'I'm starving... all this tension sure worked as an appetizer' Said Martin jogging ahead the group.
'But you didn't do anything you coward!' yelled at him Archie as Sasha was now holding his right arm. Angel tried to follow them, but someone gripped his right arm. He turned over and saw that was Anya the one doing that.
'Everything OK, brat?' asked Angel a bit confused as he noticed Anya's blushing face and her hand shaking.
'I've faced one of my fears... and I think I'll take another chance... with you' she said rising up her face with teary eyes.
'I don't think that would be wise to do, Anya...' replied Angel looking away.
'What?' she asked confused as more tears began to fell from her eyes, as she sputtered 'But I... I... I lo...'.
'I have the same feeling for you...' he replied cutting her words, she gasped as he blushed still not looking to her face.
'And if you feel the same... why?' she asked even more confused.
'Because you're too good... and I don't want to disapoint you... after all, I'm just a stupid 14 year old boy who picks fights with brutes...'  he replied turning away from her.
'To protect his friends, that's not something to be dissapointed of...' she added washing away her tears and looking at his back.
'It's just... that's hard for me to admit... that the first thing I think off each morning and the last thing I think off every night... it's you Anya' he replied finally turning to see her. Anya crossed her hands on her chest as she began to cry again.
'Oh... Angel... I'm pretty sure that you won't dissapoint me... ever!' she said as she dashed towards him. Before reaching him, she tripped on his coat, falling over him and knocking the boy down to the floor.
'Ack!, are you OK!' she asked as she rised up while he was again on the floor with swirly eyes.

'You know... we could give it a try... but for the record, please stop making me fall to the ground...' Angel replied a few moments later as she placed an ice shard on his head as the other guys were arround them.
'So... who asked who?' Asked Sasha.
'Well, she started...' said a bit blushed Angel.
'Pay!' ordered Sasha to Archie who reluctantly handed over a few silvery coins.
'But then he cut trough my words...' added Anya.
'I think that's mine!' said joyfully Archie taking his coins back from a disgusted Sasha who handed over some extra money.
'But then we talked a bit more and then Anya fell over me, knocking me down.'Ended Angel looking at his hand grabbing Anya's who merely blused a litte.
'Thank you people for your investment, Anya you're the best!' finished Martin taking all the money from Archie's hand and running away.

As they saw their friends running trough the gardens, a warm feeling that had nothing to do with the sun arose from their chests. Anya's eyes looked for the icy blue ones of Angel, who looked at her kindly, she could feel his heart on her hand. Anya blushed a little and hesitiated a little before closing her eyes as he gently took her chin and drew his face close to hers to share their first kiss.

*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

The sun was already setting, turning the room walls on a jail of shadows as her parents, a priest and Nana were arround her. The hour was drawing closer but she couldn't leave before time.... putting all her will on a single idea she focused on it, wishing for that moment... as her breathing began to fade... she was feeling cold, a tear dropped from her eyes because of the lost love.
'You didn't came...' she whispered as a few more tears fell from her eyes.
The sound of a great ruckus of broken bottles, clanking metal and a few "oofs" and "ouches" echoed all over the hallways.
'ANYA!' roared Angel as he ran wildly trough the halls, dragging a trail of broken arms, trashed furniture, scandalized nurses and a few struggling paramedics.